Go Momma launches for upscale moms

Times Targeted Media, an internal division of the St. Petersburg Times, has launched Go Momma magazine.

Go Momma, aimed at affluent moms with children under the age of 15, was mailed to 30,000 targeted households in the Tampa Bay, FL area earlier this week. Another 10,000 copies of the monthly are being distributed to select shopping areas and other public places. Times Targeted Media used Equifax household data to select the households and areas where the magazine was to be delivered.

“The idea was to go after advertising markets that we didn't' think we were serving as well as we could,” explained Rob Hawkins, product planning and analysis manager for Go Momma. “One of the areas the traditional print and online media weren't reaching as much as wanted was females and especially moms.”

Go Momma will participate in area events to boost brand name recognition over the next couple of weeks, but will mostly depend on its targeted placement and flashy design to ensure readership.

The magazine, printed in a 7-by-9 inch format is designed to be portable. Go Momma will also have a Web presence on GoMomma.com, which will feature more up-to-date stories and daily announcements. The two media will cross-promote.

Hawkins said that he hopes the venture turns a profit quickly, noting, “With the state of the ad business in general we can't afford to have something that we nurture for 3 or 4 years before we see a profit. We realize that like any new product we're going to have some ramp-up, and it's going to take time to grow and become successful, but we have time frames in which we want to do that.”

If the magazine is successful, Hawkins said, the company will consider expanding the brand across other media or markets. Right now, however, his focus is on the magazine.